Growth and Development Performances of Hermetia illucens L. (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) Larvae on Fermented Palm Kernel Meal (PKM) Substrate Naomi Florenata Damanik (1), Ramadhani Eka Putra (1*), Agus Dana Permana (1)
1) School of Life Sciences and Technology, Bandung Institute of Technology, Jl. Ganesha 10 Bandung, 40132 Indonesia
*ramadhani[at]sith.itb.ac.id
Abstract
Larvae of Hermetia illucens (Black Soldier Fly/BSF) are considered as agents of bioconversion and reduction of organic waste, including by-products of agro-industrial waste. Palm kernel meal (PKM) as palm oil mill waste contains high lignocellulose, making it difficult for BSF larvae to digest. This study aims to analyze the growth and development performance of BSF larvae in fermented PKM waste using EM4 and molasses. Five (5) days old BSF larvae were reared in PKM waste, which was fermented with EM4 and molasses for 2, 3, and 4 days (F2, F3, and F4)- PKM was fermented with water for four days (FA) and chicken feed (PA) as control. Each treatment was observed every three days to determine growth rate, average weight, larval to prepupal length, survival, and larval development period. Feed efficiency and feed reduction were also analyzed by calculating the efficiency of conversion of digested food (ECD), feed conversion ratio (FCR), waste reduction index (WRI) and substrate consumption rate (SCR). The results showed that BSF larvae could grow and develop on PKM fermented either with EM4 and molasses or water. Especially in the F2 treatment, which had the fastest larval development period (17 days) and was not significantly different (p-value> 0.05) with chicken feed as a control (15.8 days). All treatments showed high larval survival rates (99.72 - 100%). However, the best performance from growth and development performance (weight and larval development) that approached the performance of control was the 2-day PKM fermentation treatment, though the best reduction efficiency was in the 3-day PKM fermentation treatment. From the results of this research, it can be concluded that fermented PKM can be used in the mass rearing of BSF larvae.
